How to choose your concert program ?

[amirawad]

How to choose a concert program when giving a solo concert or solo with other pianists? How to arrange the order of pieces ? Itis preferable to make 4 hands or 6 hands at the end of the concert ? What are the best pieces ?

[Emma]

I am going to be performing in a concert in January along with another pianist and a piano trio.
My program, which lasts for about 20 minutes, is arranged in chronological order (more or less.)
   Bach:                  Gigue from English Suite in a minor
   Mozart:        First Movement from the Sonata K. 330
   Ravel:                                                       Jeux D'eau
   Rachmaninoff:         Prelude in G major, op. 32 no. 5
   Rachmaninoff:   Prelude in B-flat major, op. 23 no. 2
I like to start with Bach, because (imho) he is the foundation of music.
I hope this is of some help.  
   - Emma

[BoliverAllmon]

always save your best for last.

I like to see things go into a progression or pattern of some sort. for instance go from soft romantic pieces to harder faster pieces. Chronological order can be ok at times. See which pieces play off of each other. This will help keep the crowd into it. I hate it when people seem to have no organization to a concert.

boliver

[Baw]

Hello,

Personally, I prefer to start with something that is not too technically demanding and not too fast -- to allow me time to adapt to the hall and audience, to soothe any stage fraight, and to warm the fingers up to that particular instrument. At the same time, I try to also choose something that can capture and hold the audience's attention. In that sense, I try to avoid starting with anything that has long, "boring" passages in it. "Short, steady, and sweet/upbeat" is usually what I would go for for an openning number.

I also like to experiment with new ideas, improvisations, original compositions, etc. I usually slip those in right after intermission if it is expected to be short, or at the end of the recital if it is expected to be long.

With regards to sharing the stage with other pianists, I shared a stage with two other pianists before. I ended up playing four-hand (original composition) with one while the other turned the pages. We are planing on playing six-hand pieces to close our next recital together in 2004.

In the past, we threw the shorter pieces (etudes, preludes, pre-Romantic sonatas) in the first half before intermission, and saved the longer works (e.g. a full Beethoven sonata) to make up the meat for the second half.

The above worked for me, but I am still very inexperienced when it comes to giving public performances; and I am always looking for better ways to do things. I look forward to learning from the more experienced folks here, to see how you would do it, and maybe get some idea for my next "experiment." Thanks.

[thracozaag]

How to choose a concert program when giving a solo concert or solo with other pianists? How to arrange the order of pieces ? Itis preferable to make 4 hands or 6 hands at the end of the concert ? What are the best pieces ?

 I always thought Bolet's comment on comparing the choice and planning of a concert program akin to planning a great meal to be very apt.

[eddie92099]

Backhaus would often programme an entire concert in a certain key,
Ed

[thracozaag]

Backhaus would often programme an entire concert in a certain key,
Ed

 Russell Sherman (whether concsciously or not) did that once: Beethoven Waldstein, Schumann Fantasy and the Scriabin 10th Sonata.